Identification device



Deck 11, 1945. v. s. I'HOMANDER IDENTIFICATION DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 19 42 %ffi ATTORNEY WlTNl ESSES Patented Dec. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IDENTIFICATION DEVICE Veron S. Thomander, Maplewood,,N. 3., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 15, 1942, Serial,No.: l54,93 0

6 Claims. (01. 40-20) a This invention relates to identification devices,

and it has particular relation to devices for identifying the terminal or binding posts of electrical apparatus.

In the'construction of various apparatuses, it is often desirable to employ a number of similar .parts for'performing difierent functions. To facilitate selection of the appropriate one of the similar parts, it is customary to provide each of the parts with suitable identification data. In the prior art, such .data has been applied by engraving or molding operations.

The application of identification data by engraving ormolding operations is unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. Engraving is a tedious and costly process. The application of data by molding increases appreciably the cost of the 'molds and also increases the number of molds required for applying different identification data to similar parts. In both cases, the application of the identification data to the parts or to the body on which the parts are supported requires the stocking of a separate set of parts or' panels for each combination of identification data.

' In accordance with the invention, a separate identification element is employed which is secured to a body requiring the identification data. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the

identification element takes the form of an element having a non-circular opening therein proportioned to receive snugly the base portion of an attaching element, The attaching element also has 'a cap portion which overlies the identification element sufficiently to secure the identification element between the cap portion and the body against which the base portion of the attaching element is placed. Since the identifica-' tion element may be constructed in an extremely compact design, and since the material for the identification element may be selected to facilitate the application thereto of the identification data by a convenient process, such as printing, the problems of applying the identification data and of stocking the identification elements are materially simplified. The invention may be applied conveniently to the terminal or binding posts of electrical apparatus b providing each terminal post with a head designed to secure the identification element to the electrical apparatus.

It is, therefore. an object of the invention to provide an improved identification assembly for apparatus requiring identification, v

I It is a further object of the invention to provide an identification element having a non-circular opening therein proportioned to receive a; pointer 5 terminal post is always snugly a non-circular portion of an attaching element.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a terminal post having a head formed with a non-circular periphery designed to'receive an identification element having an opening snugly receiving a portion of the head and proportioned to secure the identification element to a body to which the terminal post is secured.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved method forforming an assembly-in cluding a terminal post and an identification element therefor. 5'

Other objects-of th'e'invention will be apparent from the following description taken in'conjunction-with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 isa viewintop plan with-par'ts'broken away of an electrical instrument embodying the invention; Y

Fig. 2 'is'a view. in side elevation with parts shown in cross 'se'cti'on of 'a terminalpost assembly employed in the instrument of Fig. '1';

' 3 is an'ex'ploded view in perspective of a portion of the terminal post'assembly shown in Fig.2;"and' Fig. 4 is'a'view in top plan ofan identification element employed in the terminal post assembly I Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows an 'instrument I having parts requiring identification data. This instrument may vary appreciably in constructidn,'but for the purpose of discussion'it is assumed that the instrument I represents" an electrical voltmeter having a scale 3, acros'swhich is actuated in accordance with the voltage applied to the instrument. The instrument l includes a. panel 1 which conveniently may be formed of an insulating materiaL'such as a phenolic resin. This panel supports a number'of terminal or -binding 'po'st assemblies fl' to'whic'h conductors L may beconnected for the purpose ofenergizing the voltmeter l. x

In order to identify'the terminal posts 9, each "terminal p'ostis provided with an identification e1em ent-l| l3, I5, IT, I9 01' 2|. The identification element ll bears positive and negative polarity markings to indicate that the associated connected to one'ofthe energizing conductors. The're'maining identification elements e'ach is' marked with'as'pecific voltage to indicate the range of the instrument when energized from the terminalpostl For-"exainple when theconductors L energizing the instrument are connected to 'the terminal postsassociated with thelidentification element's H and .have a construction similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the terminal post 9 includes a head. 23 which. has a screw element 25 connected; thereto. The

screw element projects throughlan opening in:

the panel 1, and is secured thereto by a nut 21 having threaded engagement with the screw element 25. A washer 29 may be placed! between the nut 21 and the panel 1. If desired, a lock 3% may be employed conjunction with the nut 21.

The heard 23 also carnes a screw post 3a which is; in threaded engagement a: disc The disc 35 he attached in any suitable manner to a knob it! which: may be formed? of insulating material. such as a phenolicaesin. Although the-disc 35 may be cemented to the knob 31,. preferaloly a portion. or thedisc 35 or a projection thereon is molded in: a. piasiic materi'ar, such as a phenolic resin. is emplbyed for the knob 31:. Alternatively. the knob 318ml. the disc 35 may be .both formed of metal, and may be formed. as a. unit from. a. single; of meta-la. illustrated in 2 the periphery of the 3? maybe corrugated or" knurled to Meditate manual: rotaoi the knob. As well understood. the art, the disc 35,. post 33,. head screw element 2.5, washer 29 and nuts 21 and 3| are formed. of an electroconductive material, such as copper or brass. If; will. be understood that the terminal post 9 is electrically connected; to themovement of the or to multipliers or resistors associated therewith. Such; a connection is represented by a conductor 39 having a terminal Illg 4i clampedbetweem the nut 21? and the washer 29.

Rotation of the lmolo 31 advances or retracts the disc 35 relative to the head 23 to clamp or release a conductor placed. between the disc and the head. To facilitate the location or a conductor therebetween, the head 23 may be provided a pair or parallel v' shaped grooves 43.

In order to identity the terminal post 9 of Fig.

12; the identification. element 2| is secured between the head. 23 and: the panel. 1. The relationship or. the identification element 2| to the head 23 is clearly shown in Fig; 3.-

Reierring to Fig. 3,. it will be observed that the head 23 has a l'iOf-PGH'CHIQJIY perimeter. Prefstably, the head 23 is or pol gonal shape, and in the specific embodiment illustrated, the head is of hexagonal shape. The head 23 is divided into a cap portion 23a and: a baseportion 23bby removing a portion of each corner of the polygonal head. 23 to form a seat 4-5 which conveniently may be of arctiate fiorm. By inspection of Fig.- 3,- it will be observed that the base portion formedby the seats provides a resultant seat having a non circular perimeter which may be described as a polygonal perimeter having rounded corners.

The: identification element 2| has an opening 41 formed therein which is proportioned to receive snugly the base portion 23b of the head 23.

By inspection of Figs. 3 and 4. it will be observed that the opening 41 is in the form of a polygonal opening, wherein the intersecting planes defining the opening have fillets 49 left in their corners to provide a polygonal opening having rounded corners adapted to receive snugly the base portion 23b of the head.

Because of the non-circular perimeter of the base. portion 2311, the identification. element 2| cannot rotate with respect to the head 23 when the terminal post is in mounted position on the panel 1. Furthermore, it will be observed that axial movement of the identification element 2| with respect to the terminal post is prevented on one side by the panel 1 and on the opposite side by the corners of the cap portion 23a of the head 23 overlie the identification element 2|.

To prevent rotation of the head 23 with respect tothe panel 1", the end of the head 23 which enters. the.- opening 41 may be provided with knurls 5|. The knurling may be in any pattern to provide: small protuherances capable: of penetrating panel. 1 suzfiiciently' to prevent rotation of the head: 23% with respect to the pouch. In. the specific embodiment of Fig. 3, the knurling takes the term or small; radial grooves: which provide radial edges capable. of penetrating the panel: 1 tor a distance sufil'cient to prevent rotation of the head. it desired, anrmlasrrecess 53 may be provided between thelrnurling and the screw element as to restrict the engagement of the head 23 with the panel to: the: rim portion oil the: head.

Since the identification. element 2| need not. be

subjected. to excessive stres s. any suitable. materi a1 may be selected. therefor- For examples the identification. element may be formed. from sheet allitmini-am the identification data. applied thereto maybe applied by all-printing operations.

Conveniently, the screw element 25-. the head 23 and the screw post 33 be termed from a single piece of polygonal copper or brass stock. Each end oi this stock. may be turned down and threaded to provide the screw element 25 and: the

screw Post 33 These turning operations may be performed by hand in a suitable lathe or may be performed conveniently in an automatic.- screw machine. While the stock is in. the lathe orscrew machine; the corners of the 23 which are to positioned adjacent the panel I are turned down to provide the arcuate seats 45.. It be observed that aonly of each corner is turned down to provide a generally polygonal outlineior the baseportion 23b of. the head 23*. The slight projections of the untouched portions of the corners of the head 23 project over the seats 45 and are sufiicientto retain the identification element- Zl-in place.-

Although the invention has been. described with reference to certain specific embodiments thereof,

numerous modifications are possible. Therefore, the invention is to be restricted only by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention;

1. In. a multipart device,v an element having a nonscircular opening therein, a. head, said head comprising a base portion. proportioned to enter and snugl fit said opening. and a cap portion of a size incapable of passin through. said opening when said element is in. mounted, position relative to said head, said. base portion being insertable in and removable from said opening in response to movement of said head relativ v to said element along a line passing through said opening, and means for securing said head to a body to which said element is' to be attached with said. base por. tion adjacent the body, said base portion having a roughened portion projecting through said opening to engage the body and inhibit relative rotation between the body and said head.

2. In an assembly for securing an element in a desired position, an element having a non-circular opening therein, a head, said head comprising a base portion proportioned to enter and snugly fit said opening, and a cap portion of a size incapable of passing through said opening when said head is in mounted position relative to said element, said base portion having sufficient length to pass through said element and present a surface which can be placed in contact with a body to which said element is to be secured without substantially stressing the element, and screw-threaded means cooperating with said head for securing said head to the body to which the element is to be attached with said surface in contact with the body, said element having .a surface visible when said element is in secured position on the body.

3. In an identification device, an identification element having a non-circular opening therein, a head, said head comprising a base portion pro-porltioned to enter and snugly fit said opening, and a cap portion of a size incapable of passing through said opening when said identification element is in mounted position relative to said head, said base portion having sufiicient length to pass through said identification element and present a surface which can be placed in contact with a body to which said identification element is to be secured without substantially stressing the identification element, and means cooperating with said head for securing said head to a body to which the identification element is to be attached with said surface in contact with the body, said surface being knurled to facilitate a firm engagement of the head with :the supporting body, whereby the knurls on said surface prevent movement of said head relative to .the supporting body, and the non-circular configuration of said opening prevents rotation of said identification element relative to said head, said identification element having a display surface visible when the identification element is secured to a body.

4. In a multipart device, a polygonal head having sides formed by intersecting planes, portions only of the corners formed by said intersecting planes being removed adjacent one end of said polygonal head to form a base portion having a non-circular perimetric surface of re duced perimetric dimension compared to the remaining polygonal surface of said head, said head being designed to be secured to a body with said base portion contacting the body, and an element having an opening proportioned to receive snugly said base portion, whereby said element may be secured between said head and a body to which said head is secured, said base portion having a dimension sufficient to project through the opening in said element into contact with the body.

5. In an assembly for securing an element in a desired position, an element having a polygonal opening therein, said opening having surfaces formed by intersecting planes, a portion of the corners formed by the intersecting planes having fillets therein for producing an opening smaller than the full opening defined by said intersecting planes, a head, said head comprising a base portion having a polygonal shape similar to that defined by said intersecting planes and having its corners removed sufficiently to permit said base portion to enter and snugly fit said polygonal opening, and said head comprising a cap portion having a polygonal shape similar to that defined by said intersecting planes and having its corners substantially intact to prevent passage of said cap portion through said polygonal opening, and screw means projecting from said base portion of said head for securing said head and said element to a body, said base portion being proportioned to project through said polygonal opening to contact said body when said head is in attached position on said body, and said element having a display surface visible when said element is secured by said head to a body.

6. In an assembly for securing an element in a desired position, a polygonal head member, a screw element projecting from one end of said polygonal head member, said polygonal head member having portions of the corners formed by the polygonal surfaces thereof removed for a portion only of the length of said head member measured from said one end to provide a noncircular base portion having a perimetric dimension smaller than the perimetric dimension of the remainder of said polygonal head member, and an element having an opening proportioned to receive snugly said base portion, whereby the forcing of said one end adjacent a body by said screw element secures said element against movement relative to said head, said one end being knurled for facilitating the gripping of a body by said one end, said base portion being proportioned to project through said opening into contact with said body when said head is in attached position, and said element having a display surface visible when said first element is secured by said head to a body.

VERNON S. THOMANDER. 

